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Strachan still feels Celts are the side out in front but he believes Gerrard’s focus should be on the bigger picture – stopping 10 in a row.

The ex-Scotland gaffer reckons legend status awaits if the Ibrox side can halt the march towards the magic number.

Strachan said: “What would success look like for Rangers this season? You’ve got to remember their fans want everything.

“But the biggest thing right now is the 10 in the row.

“No matter what anybody says, that’s in the background. It would be the holy grail for Celtic fans and basically hell for Rangers supporters.

“Wim Jansen stopped Rangers getting 10 in a row in the 90s and he’s held in such high esteem as a result.

“The players that played in his team are held up just below the Lisbon Lions.

“So if Gerrard can do the same to Celtic his tenure there would be an unqualified success.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard at full time (Image: SNS Group)

“As for this season, what Rangers fans want is every game to be close one way or another. They’ve had to put up with the game being over after an hour recently.

“If Gerrard could bring them a cup, and give Celtic a fright in the league this term, they’d be happy with that.”

This season might be too soon for Stevie G but Strachan has been impressed by the sudden impact made by the rookie gaffer.

The 61-year-old knows all too well about life in the Glasgow goldfish bowl but he reckons Rangers have a man in the dugout who can cope with the intense pressure from all angles.

Strachan said: “What Gerrard, with Gary McAllister, is doing at Rangers is exciting.

“No matter what happens, them coming up has heightened the profile of Scottish football. That’s good for us as a league.

“It has been a great start for Gerrard. He has got the fans on board straight away.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard (Image: SNS Group)

“His comments after the Aberdeen game – and since – have clearly been directed at the Rangers fans. He knows how to play the media game and he’s doing it perfectly.

“He has had good practise. He had to be the face of Liverpool for so long – the first person media spoke to after a game was him for 10 years.

“So being in the media spotlight hasn’t caught him out. He’s used to it and he’s relishing it just now.

“It’s not easy when you get a couple of defeats but he’s ready for that too.

“Being the captain of Liverpool was a good grounding for life as Rangers manager.

“With Celtic and Rangers, they have this thing I call ‘the passing of the baton of stick.’

“What has happened with Gerrard going to Rangers has been that the baton has been lobbed towards Celtic for a few weeks.

“Either one team or the other has it in Glasgow. In special circumstances, both get it.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers (Image: PA)

“But right now Celtic have it and that means Gerrard is doing all right.

“He’s intelligent enough to know it doesn’t last like this all the time – there must be something coming along and he’ll be ready for it.

“I’m sure Steven would like even better players on even bigger wages but he’ll know the board are giving him everything they’ve got at the moment. It’s not easy to get that kind of trust as a younger manager.”